Conventionally, forage crops such as hay (e.g., alfalfa, grass, clover, mixtures thereof, and the like) have been cut or severed from the main stem slightly above ground level and then left in the field for a few days to dry in the sun to a moisture level of about 15-20%. Then the dried hay is typically baled in the field and tied with twine or wire to produce bales weighing 50-100 pounds for small bales and up to a ton or more for large bales. The length of the individual stems of hay may be as long as 15-20 inches (depending upon the height of the hay when it was cut in the field).
Drying of the hay in the field is totally dependent upon weather conditions. If there is high humidity in the air when the hay is laying on the ground it will dry only very slowly. Also, if there is rain or drizzle while the hay is on the ground the amount of time required for drying the hay will naturally be increased. If there is too much rain or too much moisture present in the hay, then the hay could become spoiled while it is laying on the ground. Even if the hay doesn't become spoiled while laying on the ground, it could lose some of its protein value before it can be baled.
If the hay is not sufficiently dried before it is baled it will likely spoil in the bale because air is not able to penetrate the bale. The density of hay in a typical bale may be about 15 pounds per cubic foot. Also, when too much moisture is present in the bale, there is a very real danger of the heat of fermentation starting the hay on fire.
On the other hand, the more the hay is dried in the field the greater is the tendency for the leaves to fall off the stem when the hay is handled. This is extremely undesirable because of the relatively high food value in the leaves as compared to the food value of the stem. Also, if the hay is left in the field too long, it can become bleached by the sun. Thus, much luck and a good deal of care are required in order to cut and bale hay such as a1falfa in the field and obtain the highest quality product which does not spoil during storage.
An alternative manner of handling forage crops is to chop them green and place them into an airtight structure while they still contain high moisture. This causes the forage crop to ferment and form silage after a few days. Such a procedure may be useful in some instances for producing a suitable feed for certain animals (e.g., cattle) but it is not suitable for other types of livestock such as horses, pigs, sheep, etc. Also, this manner of storing the product requires large permanent storage structures at fixed locations. Consequently, there are numerous limitations and disadvantages associated with this type of storage and handling.
More recently there has been proposed the use of hay cubes which are typically about 1-2 inches square in cross-section. The hay is forced through square or rectangular dies which are about 1-2 inches by 1-2 inches and the extruded product is cut to a length of about 2-4 inches or so by a large knife. The hay must contain a certain amount of moisture in order for it to stick together in a cube form after it is cut by the knife. If too much moisture is present the cubed product may spoil. On the other hand, if there is too little moisture present the cube will break or fall apart.
The cubed hay product may be packaged in large sacks or handled in bulk form. Unfortunately, the cubes attract and absorb moisture easily in high humidity environments and then can spoil. As a result, this type of product has met with limited success.
Yet another previously known concept is the making of small pellets of hay (such as alfalfa). However, in making the pellets the roughage characteristics of the product are reduced and palatability is also reduced. Thus, a different type of feed is obtained as compared to the original material. Normally it is not fed directly to animals. Rather, it must be blended with other feeds before being fed to animals.
There has not heretofore been provided a technique for handling and packaging forage and roughage products in a manner which has overcome the problems and limitations associated with the prior conventional techniques. Also, there has not heretofore been provided a simple and convenient packaging technique for other moisture-sensitive feed products.